There was no mention of the government shutdown, or any effects it may have had on the U.S. economy. Some market watchers think the Fed’s nuanced balancing act was a clever ploy to take some of the steam out of the recent headlong rush higher for stocks. Even so, given the latest disappointing employment numbers and their obvious policy relevance, markets might just be overplaying the chances that stimulus could now be reined in before the end of this year.

Be that as it may, European stocks look set for a tricky open, with FTSE futures down 0.2% and the spreadbettors calling the three local mainboards lower.

There’s plenty of data on offer Thursday to deflect investors from ruminating on yesterday’s events in Washington. Germany’s consumer confidence and the euro zone’s inflation will both be in the spotlight. Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon Mobil, Mastercard and AIG are among the earnings biggies.

The Market’s December Taper Fear Is Only Going to Get Worse: Simply because the Federal Reserve’s policy statement today did not rule out the prospect of a December tapering in bond-buying, the market has suddenly become worried that a cutback in quantitative easing is in the cards before year-end.

South Korea Shrugs Off U.S. Currency Report: South Korean officials on Thursday largely shrugged off the U.S. Treasury Department’s latest admonition about intervening in currency markets, saying they will continue to stabilize the Korean won whenever necessary.

China’s Answer to Craigslist: 58.com: On Thursday, Chinese e-commerce site, 58.com Inc., will list on the New York Stock Exchange to raise up to $150 million in American depositary receipts. The site, commonly known as the Craigslist of China, has grown popular in the mainland since its creation in 2005 as a one-stop site for listings of rentals, job offers, second-hand goods, and classifieds.

China Companies Line Up for U.S. IPOs: 58.com Inc. is set to list on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday, the first in a string of Chinese Internet companies looking to list in the U.S. in coming months.

BOJ Keeps Bullish Inflation Forecast: The Bank of Japan stuck to its bullish inflation outlook Thursday, suggesting the chance of monetary policy action in the near term is slim, even as private-sector professionals continue to see the central bank’s price projection as unrealistic.

Euro Inflation Slows, as Rate-Cut Pressure Grows: Inflation is tumbling in key parts of the euro zone, including Germany and Spain this month, in a sign that consumer-price growth across the region is falling further below the European Central Bank’s target, adding pressure on the central bank to keep inflation from falling dangerously low.